Everyone else happy with their RDA centre?

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emmabailey

I love my haff!
Nov 17, 2008
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Hi guys,

I recently started volunteering at my local RDA centre and although I think the idea in priniple is a good one, there are certain issues I am noticing. Are you happy with where you ride or do you think improvements need to be made?

Emma
 
Sorry No. My physically disabled daughter started riding with the R.D.A last year , she was put in a class with two lovely young adults, both with slight learning difficulties.Both these people had been riding for a number of years ,and were good enough riders[ secure in trot and canter] Daughter only started riding at begining of last year and is also secure in walk/trot/canter, but she was told she because the other two riders couldn't progress any further, neither could she, she would have to stay at that level. She would of loved to be able to go on and do some jumping [when she was ready]. She now has her own horse and is getting every encouragment now at the riding school/livery yard where ours are kept. Will be looking at other R.D.A centres once she recovers from her OP
 
Rda

That is such a shame that she would have been held back. Unfortunately a lot of the children/adults would not be lucky enough to get their own pony - especially if there parents/etc are not 'horsey' people. Did you have any other problems? Any one else?
 
My daughter is indeed lucky to have her own horse. We did feel we were dicriminated against her having her own horse, as she was the only one to be asked to contribute to the cost of of her lessons. [£15 per hour ], on asking why we were told that it was simply that 'if you have your own horse , maybe we were in a position then to contribute?' [NO KIDDING].My daughter is registered disabled [as were the other 2 riders], her income as such was the same as the other 2.But just because she owns a horse that makes her better off, I don't think so.. Sorry for rant, I know the R.D.A do a wonderfull job ,but from our personal dealings the with centre we used we were left disapointed
 
The one near to me is great. She only gives one to one lessions which are tailored to the rider and their problems or disability. She will, for example, help to teach a child Makaton as part of the lesson or will do exercises with a physically disabled rider to help them in their day to day life. I've seen so much improvement in the majority of her riders, it's really lovely to see.

All riders (or their families) are asked to contribute something but are not expected to contribute. Although it is also a riding school it is primarily an RDA school which has been built up through the blood, sweat and tears of the owner. At one point she had to take work outside of the school to keep it going.
 
That sounds really good Bay Mare. We didn't mind contributing towards the cost of lesson, The R.D A do a great job, it was just the way that it was put over, 'you have your own horse, so you should be able to pay '.
 
Yes, that's not right at all. There shouldn't be any difference whether you have your own horse or not. I had more disposable income BEFORE I had a horse!

I have to say that the YO that I know is one in a million, she's totally devoted to not only the RDA but equine welfare too. Someone once said of her that she was like 'horse muck ... never off the road' :D
 
As the mum of three children with disabilities (all registered as disabled) I have found it nigh on impossible to get hold of my local RDA. I know it's run at a local riding school but I can't seem to get to talk to anyone!! (I also have 2 children without disabilities)

My 9yr old daughter has learning difficulties, including autistic tendancies. She also has arthiritis and poor muscle tone.
My 3yr old son has oral and non-oral dyspraxia. He does not/can not speak and signs (makaton) instead. He also has poor muscle tone and has mobility issues compared to his peers.
My 7 month old baby has MCADD but luckily he does not want to go riding yet:p. The other two both love riding having been taught at home, but we no longer have a suitable pony for them to ride. They don't fit in well to a normal riding school lesson due to their disabilities.

Maybe I'll have to try badgering the RDA about them learning to ride again soon?
 
Our RDA has a new head instructor this year and I can see a big improvement. There is a lot more actual riding time rather than a lot of dithering around.
 
Rda

Laceyfreckle - I would def keep pestering them if your children would like to ride. Are there no other alternatives for opportunities to ride apart from RDA centre or having a privately owned horse?
 
Paying for lessons

Cocker pony - totally diff example but I went to Private school, but my parents did not pay and because I went there everyone expected my family to have plenty of money and to be able to afford skiing holidays etc. Some people do not have the ability to look beyond face value situations.
 
emmabailey said:
Laceyfreckle - I would def keep pestering them if your children would like to ride. Are there no other alternatives for opportunities to ride apart from RDA centre or having a privately owned horse?
Click to expand...

Not really, apart from 'normal' private lessons. Prob with that is 1) They're too expensive and 2) My eldest can be very fustrating to teach as it takes her a long time to understand and she doesn't remember things from week to week unless she can be give time to 'mindmap' visually. My little boy who is nearly 4 would find normal lessons hard unless the teacher knew makaton as he can't communicate in any other way then signing although he is very quick to learn and very good in the saddle for his age/condition.

I think I'll nag...I mean phone them again over the Easter break.
 
Hope you manage to get somewhere for the kids to ride laceyfreckle, it's for families like yours that the R.D.A should be helping, you hear so many good reports about the benefits that the kids get, but finding a centre isn't easy. We did phone a new one that opened quite recently near us, left messages etc, but no one ever got back to us.Think it is just the luck of the draw on where you live.
Emma how true, we are an ordinery family,on a low income. My O/H was a school janitor before he had to trire due to ill health. We afford our horses by not having a social life [apart from horses] we don't drink, smoke, and make a lot of other cutbacks just to keep our animals., and I wouldn't have it any other way. Just because you own a horse/pony doesn't mean to say that your well off financially
 
My friend rides at the local RDA, not sure what her disability is....never really asked. She's been my friend since such a young age that i never really notice it. Her RDA seems good. She does find it all very easy as they don't do jumping so she's acheived the max she can there.
She also works and rides at a normal riding school.

I have negative feelings towards her RDA centre coz i feel they are using her. She used to ride with me at a normal riding school and one day, we were hacking in the snow and some guy took a photo of us for the local paper. The RDA saw it and said that since she could ride at a normal stable then she was no longer allowed to come to them. A few years later they take her back on....so she could ride on the special olympic team, representing their area with another girl. She rode in Shanghai and got 2 gold medals. Looks great for the RDA who 'taught' her. Meh. Don't like them. :mad:
 
I've been wondering whether to join this thread or not for a while...
I volunteered at my local RDA for 3 years, worked there full time for another 3 years, I'm an RDAI and tbh there wasn't a lot that I didn't know about what was going on at local and regional level.

I haven't had anything to do with the RDA for about a year now...and am going to have to make sure that I speak carefully in general terms -

IMO, the problems the majority of RDA yards have stem from the fact that they are bound by the RDA guidelines of membership to be run by a committee of trustees. It seems as though the potential for politics of every sort is greater in this situation than it would be if it were run by a single YO as is the case in the majority of able bodied riding schools.

RDA and para dressage has also become a lot bigger in the past few years than it has been before, and the tendency to move towards this more 'glamorous' side of things rather than the grass-roots RDA lessons for the more severely disabled riders has resulted in a decreased availability and quality of service for people that would fit into this category.

ETA- laceyfreckle, please do keep on nagging them. If they have a lack of space/ lack of volunteers or a long waiting list, then saying that you could come at less popular times (during the day during the week if possible, or after school), or offering to have brief volunteer training (filling out the relevant sections of a 'Green Card') so that you could help in the lesson will almost definitely mean that they can be fitted in to a lesson more quickly. Also, do you know the name of the Chairman of the group...that's always a good person to ask for. If not, PM me the name of the group and I'll find it for you.
 
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alwaysfallingof said:
RDA and para dressage has also become a lot bigger in the past few years than it has been before, and the tendency to move towards this more 'glamorous' side of things rather than the grass-roots RDA lessons for the more severely disabled riders has resulted in a decreased availability and quality of service for people that would fit into this category.
Click to expand...

Ditto this- demand for RDA and para dressage has risen dramatically, as have the numbers of the more severly disabled wanting to ride- unfortunately the organisation just hasnt expanded to meet demand (and realistically i dont think it can). As is the case in many areas, they tend to drift towards the areas which bring in most support and funding. No surprise many are trying to get more riders out and competing.

Laceyfreckle- I do know a few Riding Schools who have been happy to take on children with disabilities- the one i used to work at taught a couple of autistic children. As you say the signing would be difficult for one of your children, but then the RDA i helped in had (as far as i know) no provision for officical sign language (just gestures if needed).
 
i've also helped out at an RDA place. won't discuss it anymore on a public forum but while the concept was good i had problems similar to laurajeanne, to much faffing about, lack of communication and quite frankly was treated quite badly. i also didn't like the attitude, a bit holier than thou sometimes!
 
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